Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias suggested Thursday that police would continue to raid squats after detaining eight people at a building near central Athens which had been occupied for more than two decades. Villa Amalia, located near Acharnon and Heiden Streets, is the name of the building that hosted the former 2nd High School of Athens. Greek authorities entered Villa Amalia early on Thursday and according to initial reports they discovered 1,500 empty bottles and a flammable liquid, which the government believes were being used to make Molotov cocktails. At the same time some reports said that they also discovered many iron balls and big combat slings.
“The Greek police force has an obligation [to act] under the constitution and the law,” said Dendias. “I repeat, it also has the orders of the prime minister to restore common sense, to restore legality."
But wouldn't you know it, after the police raid, the youths of SYRIZA began slamming the police intervention, and then blamed the government for the police department's actions. As such a war of words ignited between the New Democracy party and leftist SYRIZArians who clearly support the building and its occupiers.
In a statement, SYRIZA's youths said that the "scarecrow of totalitarianism" once again put on its fancy clothes to protect society from "lawlessness and the troublemakers". In their opinion, police do not see Golden Dawn "thugs" as being the problem, nor the immigrants, which they claim have been abused, forgetting all along the thousands of attacks on Greek citizens and hundreds of savage murders that have occurred over the past few years from foreigners. They also say that the police does not see the countless blackshirts that hang out in the area of Aghios Panteleimonas -complete with combat equipment- but rather only focus on the existence of Villa Amalia which they have often said acts as their social center.
In other words... lawlessness, lawlessness, lawlessness. The statement of course does not say a word about the Molotov bombs, or other deadly equipment found at the site, but rather slams the Golden Dawn party (what a surprise) for protecting the people who actually live in this area from criminals who have moved into this area making it out to be one of the most feared areas in all of Athens.
The response from the Ministry of Public Order was also immediate. "We only agree on one thing with SYRIZA's youth: Terrorism will not prevail."
The government then said that "it is a wonder how a place that manufactures thousands of incendiary devices -or Molotov bombs- can be described as being a 'social' space. But Greek society knows very well about what is happening in the areas of occupied public buildings." The Minister also added that Greek society (and the State) is also well aware of who has advocated for violence, and who fantasizes about leaving the European Union and the euro zone. "Everything else is madness."
The New Democracy party, also released a statement saying that: "Since the call from SYRIZA's hooded youth to burn down Athens and the fortunes of countless Greeks was not materialised, they are now whining because the Police decided to enforce the law and undermined their headquarters (Villa Amalia). These defenders of iniquity can count on one thing: That's terrorism will not prevail".
Several reports in Athens said that the police decided to carry out the operation following a complaint by residents of the area. The civil complaint claims that drugs were being traded and Molotov bombs were being made in Villa Amalia.
(Editor - No..... Really???)
According to those reports, at 7:30 am, a unit of the special forces to combat public disorder forced the door open and arrested several people. The arrests were carried out in the presence of a prosecutor. There is currently no official information about what was discovered in the building, but newsbeast.gr announced that supporters of anarchist movements have already gathered in front of the building in order to protest against the police operation.
(Editor - Let's keep in mind that this is an abandoned building and does not belong to them.. What bothers me the most about this is that from the video posted above -posted on YouTube by the Greek police- we also see that they use electricity... Are they paying for this electricity or are they stealing it?)
The building, which is close to the Victoria metro station, has acted as an anarchist squat for well over two decades. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the abandoned building began to be used as a meeting place for young people with "alternative" ideas on the Western European squads’ principle - parties, concerts and other events based on the basic principle were organised there. Although the entrance for the events in Villa Amalia was free, beer was sold at the place or visitors voluntarily gave a small amount to maintain it.
From the very beginning of its establishment, Villa Amalia has been associated with supporters of radical leftist and anarchist ideas. This is very evident since anti-racist processions and concerts of anarcho-independent groups were organised here, and, sometimes, it even served as a temporary shelter for various people
(Editor - Various people? WTF ??@??@??@).
The incidents associated with this building have increased throughout the years and there have been other such raids on rumors that illegal activities were being carried out there. Also reports claim that it served as a a meeting place for anarchists who gathered there before clashes with the police during strikes and protests. In similar communities, one of them in Exarchia Square, Molotov cocktails were discovered, as well as a fugitive sought by the police on charges of TERRORISM.
(Editor - Yes... TERRORISM)
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